Your fountain is a valuable investment, offering timeless beauty, soothing sounds, and a serene ambiance. Proper setup, consistent maintenance, and thorough winter preparation are essential to preserving its elegance and peak performance. Explore our detailed sections below to ensure your fountain remains a stunning centerpiece season after season.
Fountain Setup
Proper setup is essential to ensure your fountain operates smoothly and brings you enjoyment for years to come. Specific assembly instructions are included with the purchase of your fountain. Please review these instructions to ensure that all fountain components and pump kit parts are included before setting up the fountain.
The following general guidelines should be followed for your fountain set-up:
1. Seek Professional Assistance:
- Assembly requirements can vary depending on the fountain's design, size, and weight. For larger or more complex setups, professional assistance is recommended. Check the fountain's assembly instructions on the product page or call us directly at 1-800-975-4022 ext. 3 to see if professional installation is recommended.
2. Flat, Level Foundation:
- Place your fountain on a flat, level surface to ensure proper water flow. A concrete or hard-packed gravel pad is recommended. If the base is level but some components appear uneven, you can rotate them or use wedges to achieve proper alignment.
- Do not set the fountain directly on grass or dirt. Ground moisture, erosion, sprinklers, and fountain splash can soften and destabilize the soil, leading to an unstable fountain.
3. Pump Check:
- All pumps must be completely submerged underwater to function properly and to avoid motor burn-out.
- Make sure the pump works before assembly by placing it in a bucket of water and operating the pump.
4. Create a Drip Loop:
- To prevent water from traveling down the pump's power cord and damaging the electrical socket, create a drip loop by allowing the cord to dip below the wall outlet.
5. Plug into a GFCI Outlet:
- Use only a GFCI outlet when running the fountain.
Important Notice:
Your fountain is sturdy, but it’s not designed to support the weight of anyone sitting or leaning against it. Please ensure that children, pets, and others enjoy its beauty safely. Applying excessive weight or pressure could compromise the fountain's stability, potentially leading to damage or injury.
Ongoing Care & Maintenance
Proper care for all fountains should include the following important tips:
- Consistent filling is required to maintain a proper water level and ensure that the pump remains totally submerged. If the level of water is too low, the pump will be damaged. How often a fountain should be filled depends on water flow and specific weather conditions in which the fountain is running. Appropriate water level is also required for proper fountain performance.
- Keep pump inflow free of debris to insure proper water flow. Periodic cleaning of the pump will extend its life.
- The fountain may be cleaned with mild soap (ie Dawn) and a soft bristle brush or cloth. DO NOT use bleach or any harsh chemicals as this may affect the patina.
- Algaecides available at pond supply or garden shops can be used to combat the buildup of algae.
- Always follow general winter care for fountains to extend the life of your fountain.
Winter Preparation
Winterizing your fountain is essential for preserving its beauty and longevity. Fountains made of cast stone and other materials can undergo expansion and contraction with changing temperatures and humidity levels.
To protect your fountain during the winter, it’s crucial to prevent the accumulation of snow, ice, and water within it. When water freezes, it expands. This expansion can cause chips, cracks, and fine lines in your fountain when the water eventually melts.
So when temperatures fall below 32° F or 0° Celsius or humidity levels change drastically, you’ll need to follow the steps below.
- Clean Your Fountain: It’s important to remove any lingering dirt, debris, or algae build-up from your fountain’s surface and pump before you winterize it. This can be accomplished by using a gentle, readily available detergent like Dawn soap, along with a soft bristle brush or cloth. You can also use a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water as another option. Never use bleach or any harsh chemicals, as they can corrode the fountain’s finish.
- Drain Your Fountain: Begin by removing all stoppers and drain plugs to completely drain the fountain. This is done to ensure that water doesn’t accumulate anywhere in the fountain. The freezing and thawing of water can cause chips, cracks and fine lines to occur along with damage to the pump. You can use a shop vac or sponge to remove any last drops of water so your fountain is completely dry.
- Remove Components: Once drained, carefully wrap the internal components (pump, stoppers, drainpipes, tubing, finials, auto-refill devices, and lights) in old towels or blankets for storage indoors.
- Bring Indoors (if possible): Ideally, it’s best to store your fountain indoors if size and weight permit.
- Store in a dry, covered location: If bringing your fountain indoors isn’t possible, then store it in a dry, protected location like a shed, barn, covered porch or patio.
With large fountains, this is not practical so you’ll need to follow the instructions below.
- Elevate Your Fountain: Fountains left outside are at risk of freezing to the ground during winter, causing cracks in the base. This occurs because ground moisture can seep into the pores of the fountain’s base. Try raising your fountain above ground as a preventative measure.
- Cover Your Fountain: Use a Campania fountain cover or other breathable, water-resistant material to protect your fountain. Make sure that water will not be able to accumulate in any bowls or the basin, and freeze.
The Campania fountain cover should be taut around the fountain and securely fastened at the bottom opening with the locking drawstring to prevent snow or water from pooling in the cover.
Inspect your fountain periodically to ensure that the cover is secure and no water is accumulating in any fountain component.
DO NOT COVER IN PLASTIC!